this post was submitted on 04 Aug 2024
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[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (6 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza[a] is the largest Egyptian pyramid. It served as the tomb of pharaoh Khufu, who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Built c. 2600 BC,[3] over a period of about 27 years,[4] the pyramid is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only wonder that has remained largely intact.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_technology

The wheel

Evidence indicates that Egyptians made use of potter's wheels in the manufacturing of pottery from as early as the 4th Dynasty (c. 2613 to 2494 BC).[98] Lathes are known from at least 1300 BC,[99] but Flinders Petrie claimed that they had been used as early as the 4th Dynasty, based on tool marks found on stone bowls from that period.

I don't know if they used it for transport then, but they had the wheel at about that point in time.

[–] FlyingSquid 43 points 3 months ago (2 children)

It could be that comic strips are not the best place to learn about ancient history.

[–] wreckedcarzz 11 points 3 months ago

Surprised Pikachu face dot jpg

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I mean, you say that, but whenever they get posted to Lemmy, there's always someone in the comments sharing the facts. 🙃

[–] lastweakness 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago

Wheels and sand don’t mix well together, so I guess it’s unlikely they used wheels for transportation.

[–] takeheart 5 points 3 months ago

The wheel (for transportation) is really a concomitant of stable roads existing. Really wheels only work on flat, paved surfaces. The "invention" of the wheel isn't the stroke of genius that pop culture likes to portray it as. It's just something that follows from having the right environment. The Romans for instance built and maintained widespread road networks throughout Europe to quickly move troops to the front lines. It turns out that those roads also were a tremendous boon for traders and travellers using carts.

Comic's still funny though.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

The theory I learnt in school was that they placed the bricks on a row of tree trunks that served as "wheels" or rather, a type of conveyor belt.
The trunk that was freed at the back by pulling the brick forward was placed in front again. Not sure if that's still the current theory.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

They did not need it for transport. They had camels. Much more useful in a sandy desert.

[–] FlyingSquid 10 points 3 months ago

Camels were not introduced to Egypt until the Persians invaded in 525 BCE.

They dragged things on sledges with someone wetting the sand in front of them.

We have no doubt about that.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Actually almost all of the people in ancient Egypt lived in the Nile river delta, because of the fertile soil. As such they mostly used boats to transport things up and down the river. They also used a lot of ships for trading with other lands along the Mediterranean coast. For smaller local transport carts were used, as they didn't live in a desert environment, but instead in a lush agricultural land.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

furtive soil

Well that explains the desertification I guess.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yea because wheels suck on sand.